What is the difference between a fiddle and a viola

Fiddle vs violin. Violin vs fiddle, whats the difference? And what is a Viola? We will note early in this article that the differences in the viola are much more noticeable than the other two bowed instruments.

The argument seems centered around comparing the violin vs fiddle. With that being said, we dug as deep into the three instruments as we could to clarify things, once and for all. These three instruments are all made of hardwood that has been polished to give them a perfect, finished, look.

However, they all have slight differences when it comes to their shape. The Fiddle and violin have a smaller frame size than the viola in both width and length. The standard fiddle differs from the violin with an arched angle near the waist that makes it have a larger diameter.

Most agree that telling the difference this way is not reliable, because fiddle and violin sizes differ depend on manufacturer. Fiddles have the same strings as violin, however, a fifth string has been introduced by modern fiddlers, changing the tuning to G3, D4, A4, E5, and C3.

This gives the fiddle style of music the folk country twang that harmonizes well with a banjo. Many fiddlers prefer the traditional four string musical instrument, especially if they were classically trained. A viola is naturally tuned at exactly one fifth below a violin, and it has a range of over 3 and a half octaves. The pitch that a violin is played at varies from the strings G3 to C8 which corresponds to the highest notes of a modern piano. Nevertheless, the top notes from the violin family produce harmonics which are very different from a viola and fiddle.

A fiddle has a flatter bridge that is less arched than a classical violin. Some fiddle players hold the bow stick several inches up from the frog or rest the palm of the left hand against the neck. Still others use what a Classical player would consider a fairly standard setup and hold. When I perform for social occasions like weddings, I play several tunes that are hard to fit tight into either the violin or the fiddle category.

Setting it this way gives easy access to plenty of double-stops using open strings for a big, bold sound, heightening the anticipation among the assembled guests. He was a Mexican violinista born into a poor Otomi Indian family of musicians.

After moving to Mexico City, Rosas achieved great success in his short life he died at 26 as a composer of salon music for the aristocracy. Comparison chart Differences — Similarities —. What is a Fiddle? Differences in Playing Style and Technique When played in a folk style, it is said to be a fiddle and when played in classical tones it's called a violin. Accompaniment The violin almost always appears in orchestral, symphonic or chamber settings with other violins, violas, cellos, and double basses or symphonic horns.

Playability Bowed string instruments are among the most difficult instruments to learn because the tone quality will degrade quickly in unpracticed hands. Physical Structure Both a fiddle and a violin are alike in physical appearance. Follow Share Cite Authors. Share this comparison: If you read this far, you should follow us: "Fiddle vs Violin. Comments: Fiddle vs Violin. Anonymous comments 5 March 10, , pm To the poster below Very useful! Related Comparisons. Contribute to Diffen Edit or create new comparisons in your area of expertise.

Log in ». Terms of use Privacy policy. They look similar, but mistake one for the other and you run the risk of encountering the wrath of music geeks. A full-size violin is about 36 cm 14 inches , but a full-size viola is normally somewhere between 39 and 41 cm Violinists usually read their music from the treble clef, while violists, generally speaking, have to learn the slightly less familiar alto clef. It looks like this one on the left:. The alto clef has also been the subject of some first-rate memes, like this one:.

The frog is the part you hold at the end of the bow, which is decorated with a colourful slide and small circle.